Securement means for a stove grate



Feb. 23, 1965 J. BUCELLATO 3, 70,

SECUREMENT MEANS FOR A STOVE GRATE Filed July 9, 1963 INVENTOR. rfax/A/606511.470

irraeuerr United States Patent Office 3,17%457. Patented Feb. 23, 19653,170,457 SECUREMENT MEANS FOR A STOVE GRATE John Bucellato, South Gate,Caiifi, assignor to Sattler Mfg. Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of California Filed July 9, 1963, Ser. No. 293,747 -2Claims. (Cl. 126214) This invention relates to securement means for astove grate and more particularly'to a securement clip or holder memberfor snugly, tightly holding a stove or burner grate against movementrelative to the stove top.

Trailers, mobile homes, campers, and other vehicles are often equippedwith cooking facilities'including gas stoves or ranges of well knowntype. Such ranges include a stove top with one or more recessed burnerwells, each defining a circular burner opening. Over each recessedburner well a stove or burner grate is usually supported by radialoutward extensions of a plurality of circumferentially spaced gratefingers, the fingers being cast integral with a circular grate ringloosely received within the top of the recessed burner well. Duringtravel and movement of the vehicle the burner grates rattle on the stovetop and create annoying and disturbing noises, and sometimes because ofrough roads, are bounced off the stove top on to the floor of thevehicle and become damaged. Even when the grates were removed from thestove top and placed in compartments, drawers, boxes or otherreceptacles, it was diflicult to adequately secure them against rattlingnoises and possible damage. The present invention contemplates aneffective means for securement and retaining the stove grate in itscustomary place on the stove top, and in such a manner that rattlingdoes not occur and yet the grate may be readily removed for cleaning theburner well, burners, and also the grate.

The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to disclose andprovide a novel, effective securement or retainer means for a stovegrate.

An object of the invention is to disclose and provide a simple,one-piece, inexpensive construction of a securement member or holder,particularly designed for the purpose of holding a grate on a stove top.

Another object of this invention 'is to disclose and provide asecurement means for a stove grate which is readily installed andreadily released.

A further object of the invention is to disclose and provide asecurement means for a stove grate which is not affected by heat fromthe burner.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following description of the drawings in whichan exemplary embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of a gas stove orrange having a burner grate held in place by a securement means of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken in the planeindicated by line II, II of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a securement member embodying thisinvention.

In the drawings a stove or gas range is indicated fragmentarily at 10.The range includes a stove top, 11, made of suitable sheet metal. Thestove top 11 is provided with one or more recessed burner wells 12,having burner well margins 14 defining a burner opening 15. Over theburner well 12 is positioned a grate 16 comprising a plurality ofradially extending long and short grate fingers 17 and 18 respectively,each of said fingers 17 and 18 having radial outward extensions 17', 18'seated at 19 on the top surface of the stove top 11. Integral with thegrate fingers 17 and 18 is a circular grate ring 20 disposed looselywithin the top portion of the well opening. The grate 16 is normallymade of cast metal.

Means for securing and snugly holding grate 16 in its normal position onthe stove top may comprise a securement or holder member generallyindicated at 25. In the example shown in FIG. 1, two such members 25 areemployed to secure the grate, the two members 25 being in diametricallyopposite position. More than two members may be employed if desired,although it will be readily understood that two securement members 25will serve this purpose.

Each securement member 25 may be made of suitable fiat spring metalstrip stock, preferably a heat resistant steel. Each securement member25 is made of selected length in order to extend from grate ring '20diagonally downwardly and radially inwardly to the burner well margins14. Each securement member 25 includes an elongated main body portion 26having a supporting and positioning end portion 27 and a latching endportion 28. End portion 27 is curved about a radius generallycorresponding to the radius of the outer circumferential surface of ring21). Curved section 29 of portion 27 terminates in a straight endsection 30 which is in divergent relation to the plane of the main bodyportion 26 so as to facilitate initial positioning of the securementmember on the grate mg 20. Latching end portion 28 includes a curvedsection 32 of substantially reduced or smaller radius than curvedsection 29, but of sufiicient radius to encompass the thickness of theedge of burner well margin 14. Thus curved end section 28 includes aninternal shoulder 33 adapted to be sprung below the bottom circular edgeof margin 14. Integral with and depending from curved section 32 is agenerally straight flat release section 34. The release section 34facilitates application of finger pressure against section 34 on itsradial outer face so as to disengage the shoulder 33 with the margin 14in order to release the securement member from the stove and grate.

It will be clearly apparent that with the securement members 25 removedthe stove grate 16 is loosely supported at 19 over the burner well, andmovement of the vehicle carrying the stove will produce movement of thegrate with the consequent rattling noises and displacement of the gratefrom the stovetop. securement members 26 may be readily installed bypositioning the positioning end portion 27 over ring 20 at a selectedlocation on the circumference of ring 20. The opposite end portion 28with tab or release section 34 is located at margin 14. Upon applicationof a slight finger pressure to the center of the main body portion 26,the tab 34 slips below the edge of opening 15 and shoulder 33 engages asin a snap action the margin 14 to securely lock and retain the grate 16to the stove top. The placement of the securement members 25 within theburner well opening and at an angle locates the securement members atmarginal portions of the centrally located heating zone. Such locationtogether with the spring metal used in making securement members 25maintains the securement members in proper dimensional relationship withrespect to the grate ring and burner well so that the securement memberswill always tightly retain the grates to the stove.

It should also be noted that since the securement members are disposedon'a diagonal that a downwardly directed retaining force is imparted tothe grate ring and that the finger extensions 17 18' are firmly andtightly seated on the top surface of the stove top.

When it is desired to release securement member 25, the latching endportion 28 may be subjected to radially inwardly directed pressure attab 34 by a finger inserted through opening 15 and encircling the tab34. Radially inwardly directed pressure will disengage the shoul- 3 der33 from the margin 14 and the securement member 25 may then be readilyremoved from the grate.

It will be understood that various modifications and changes may be madein the securement means that come within the spirit of this invention,and all such changes and modifications coming within the scope of theappended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim: a

1. In combination with a gas range having a stove top having a burnerwell with burner margins defining a burner opening and a grate supportedon said top over the burner well, the provision of: means securing thegrate to the range comprising a securement member of flat spring metalstrip stock including an elongated main body portion; a supporting andpositioning end portion in engagement with the grate; and a latching endportion in i grate supported on said top over said burner well andhaving a grate ring extending within the burner well, the pr0- visionof: securement means retaining said grate tightly on said rangecomprising a plurality of securement members interconnecting said gratering and said range at said burner opening; each ofi'said'securementmembers havengagement with said burner opening margins, said seing atone end a curved supporting and positioning end portion in engagementwith said grate ring, and at the opposite end a latching end portion inengagement with the margins of the burner well at the burner opening.

References Cited by the'Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,480,585 1/24Wilkie l26214 1,769,696 7/30 ,Kocher 292258 2,353,796 7/44 Tinnerman248361 2,444,862 7/48 Thomes 126-214 2,695,806 11/54 Balint 292-258JAMES w. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A GAS RANGE HAVING A STOVE TOP HAVING A BURNERWELL WITH BURNER MARGINS DEFINING A BURNER OPENING AND A GRATE SUPPORTEDON SAID TOP OVER THE BURNER WELL, THE PROVISION OF: MEANS SECURING THEGRATE TO THE RANGE COMPRISING A SECUREMENT MEMBER OF FLAT SPRING METALSTRIP STOCK INCLUDING AN ELONGATED MAIN BODY PORTION; A SUPPORTING ANDPOSITIONING END PORTION IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GRATE; AND LATCHING ENDPORTION IN